Latest News From Greg Henderson

The Kansas Livestock Association reports a total of 396 donations were made to the wildfire and severe storm relief fund through Dec. 21, including two large donations from meat processors Tyson and Cargill.

Animal activist groups went full Grinch-mode this week, calling for the end of "animal gifting" programs such as Heifer International and 'Hatching Hope' that work to support impoverished people. Because, well, Humbug!

A mistrial has been declared by a federal judge in Denver overseeing the trial of 10 current and former chicken company executives charged with price-fixing and bid-rigging.

Hurricane-force winds and dry pastures resulted in multiple wildfires in western Kansas on Wednesday. The Kansas Livestock Association is coordinating relief efforts for affected ranchers.

China has agreed to resume imports of Brazilian beef following more than three months of suspension due to two atypical cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) were discovered in Brazil.

A Colorado rancher was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in a cattle ponzi scheme that defrauded more than 100 investors of nearly $5 million.

Fox News founder and Wall Street Journal owner Rupert Murdoch has purchased the 340,000-acre Beaverhead Ranch in Southwest Montana from Koch Industries.

Economic advisors to the White House suggested Friday that America's large meat packers have used their market power to drive up consumer prices while underpaying farmers resulting in a huge jump in net profits.

Beef export values are on pace to exceed $10 billion in 2021, with exports to three Asian set to top $2 billion each. Pork exports remain on a record pace.

Corporate commitments are a response to consumers and investors.

The House passed legislation providing for the first major update of U.S. International ocean-shipping laws in more than two decades. That comes as the nation continues to grapple with bottlenecks at its ports.

November employment data was called disappointing despite the unemployment rate dropping slightly. Retaining workers has become difficult even as employers raised pay, which eventually gets passed along to consumers.

​Low Carbon Beef, LLC, a cattle certification program that enables cattlemen to earn premiums by reducing carbon emissions, announced it has secured approval as a USDA Process Verified Program Service Provider.

Tyson Foods said Monday it will give approximately $50 million in year-end bonuses to its frontline, hourly workers. These one-time bonuses will be based on tenure and range from $300 to $700.

While Cargill and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union appear to have avoided a labor strike at the High River, Alberta, beef plant, a shut-down could produce significant disruptions to the U.S. cattle market.

Attorneys in the massive chicken antitrust price-fixing class action lawsuits have been granted more than $100 million in legal fees by a U.S. District Judge in the Northern District of Illinois.

Proposal for a small beef processing plant in north-central Kansas gained approval from county commissioners on Wednesday despite some strong local opposition.

Cattle feeders saw average profit margins exceed $200 per head last week while pork producers found losses of $44 per head, according to the Sterling Profit Trackers.

A tentative agreement between Cargill and its unionized workers at the High River, Alberta, beef processing plant has been reached, avoiding a possible strike on December 6, 2021.

After a near-total lockdown due to COVID-19, pork and beef exports to Columbia have rebounded significantly during 2021, and the U.S. Meat Export Federation sees the trend continuing in 2022.

Cargill has served notice of a lockout for employees at its High River, Alberta, beef plant if the company and union employees do not reach an agreement before a December 6, deadline.

Market leverage continues to move toward the cattle feeder as prices rose for the third consecutive week. Cattle on feed numbers were slightly lower while placements and marketings were near industry estimates.

Montana Senator Jon Tester introduced a bill that would halt imports of beef from Brazil after repeated issues with delayed reporting of BSE. The bill has support from U.S. cattle organizations.

Animal protein prices will remain firm in 2022, says Rabobank, but significant challenges will remain and markets will be driven by the transition to more sustainable animal protein, biosecurity challenges and COVID.

The rally in cash fed cattle prices continued this week with packers searching for inventory and bidding higher money. Cattle feeders have some leverage for the first time in a long time.

Brazilian authorities said two reported cases of a neurodegenerative disorder in Rio de Janeiro were not related to BSE, but NCBA calls on Secretary Vilsack to immediately suspend all imports of fresh beef from Brazil.

Mahindra launches ROXOR off-road side-by-side, a rugged workhorse for farmers, ranchers, off-road enthusiasts and rural lifestyle customers. The redesigned ROXOR is "redefining the SXS category," the company says.

United Food and Commercial Workers union is asking for reasonable wage increases along with assurances for the health and safety of workers.

Four U.S. Senators announced they’ve reached a compromise on measures they see as improvements to the cattle market, combining components of previous bills into a new Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act.

The highest fed cattle prices since the spring of 2019 has feedyard managers searching for additional gains this week. Calf prices at auction last week traded uneven.

A Ukrainian man suspected of collecting $2.3 million in ransom after using REvil ransomware to attack about 2,500 targets, including the June JBS SA cyberattack, has been arrested, according to Europol.

Cattle feeders found willing packer buyers even as they priced cattle higher throughout the week. Higher prices were supported by solid gains in the futures markets.

Prosecutors said Robert Blom altered purchasing agreements, misled investors and sold the same groups of cattle to multiple buyers using the money to pay back previous investors.

Brazilian meatpacking giant JBS SA says it will use Bovaer, a feed additive to reduce methane emissions in its global supply chains.

In testimony before the House Ag Committee, the Meat Institute said the current labor shortage is a significant factor driving U.S. food prices higher.

Cow and bull slaughter for 2021 continues outpacing last year’s totals, and cow processing plants are operating at higher capacity utilization levels than fed cattle plants.

Cash fed cattle prices finally broke out of a weeks-long rut, trading $2 to $4 higher in all regions. This week saw the highest prices of the year and the highest average since 2019.

Sustainable Beef LLC, the Nebraska firm that announced plans to build a 1,500-head per day beef slaughter facility in North Platte, will seek $21.5 million in tax increment financing (TIF) from the city.

Tyson Foods has achieved a 96% vaccination rate for COVID-19 among its 120,000 American workers.

Market-ready cattle numbers decline with little affect on prices, signaling supplies remain ample compared to slaughter capacity. Cattle on feed numbers were lower versus year-ago for the first time in 16 months.

The House Ag Committee passed the Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021 by unanimous vote on Thursday. Supporters say the act would give greater transparency to cattle markets and more leverage to producers.

“Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021” is designed to provide cattlemen with the market data needed to make more informed marketing decisions and exert greater leverage in negotiations with major meatpackers.

The fall run of calves to auction markets is in full swing as the number of feeder cattle weighing over 600 pounds offered at auctions dipped below 40% last week.

Bion Environmental Technologies has announced plans to build a beef production facility near Fair Oaks, Ind., in the next phase of development of a sustainable grain-finished beef product line.

Cash cattle prices were steady to slightly higher as supplies of market-ready cattle continue to decline. Analysts believe the fall low is in and stronger prices will prevail the balance of the year.

Food prices were higher for the sixth consecutive month during September, with beef and pork leading the trend. The rapid increase has analysts concerned price inflation may soon impact consumer demand.

A public-private partnership has purchased the Pipkin Ranch for management by New Mexico's Department of Game & Fish to expand the habitat of the lesser prairie chicken and other grassland wildlife.

USDA’s World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates released Tuesday project an overall decline in 2021 red meat and poultry production despite a higher beef production forecast.

Overall declines in U.S. beef imports are tied to significant declines from Australia, and that’s a trend likely to continue into next year, Steiner Consulting Group analyst says.

The White House announced Thursday President Joe Biden would sign three proclamations to restore protections for Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine national monuments.